As the 2024 presidential election approaches, fears are growing that a victory for former President Donald Trump could lead to a significant increase in federal executions. Advocates for those on death row are particularly worried about the implications of a second Trump term, recalling the unprecedented 13 federal executions that took place during his first term—more than under the previous ten presidents combined.
Trump's record on capital punishment has raised serious human rights concerns, especially regarding cases involving individuals with intellectual disabilities and those who were not allowed to present new evidence. Under his administration, executions proceeded despite objections from victims’ families and legal representatives. Trump's pro-death penalty stance has only intensified since his defeat in the 2020 election, with recent statements calling for the execution of drug dealers and those who leak government information.
A plan known as Project 2025, developed by Trump’s allies, outlines strategies for his potential second term, including a push for finality for the 40 people currently on federal death row. The plan also suggests expanding the scope of capital punishment to cover non-homicide crimes, as well as encouraging the Supreme Court to relax restrictions on death sentences.
Billie Allen, a man on federal death row who maintains his innocence in a 1997 robbery and murder case, expressed his fear of being executed for a crime he did not commit. “I’m terrified that I will be executed—not just because I’m going to die, but because I’m going to die for something I didn’t do,” Allen said in a recent call from prison.
The previous execution spree under Trump raised alarms about the fairness of the capital punishment system, with critics highlighting cases where defendants were executed despite serious questions about their guilt and due process. For instance, Daniel Lee was executed in July 2020 despite significant opposition from legal representatives and victim families. Another case involved Lisa Montgomery, who suffered severe mental illness and became the first woman executed by the U.S. government in nearly 70 years.
Currently, the 40 individuals on federal death row represent broader systemic issues within the capital punishment system. A disproportionate number of those on death row are people of color, with 38% being Black, despite Black individuals comprising only 14% of the U.S. population.
The uncertainty surrounding how many individuals could be executed under a second Trump administration has left advocates concerned about a rushed and chaotic process led by the Justice Department. With Trump’s former attorney general, Bill Barr, overseeing the last wave of executions, advocates fear a lack of checks and balances if Trump regains power.
While current Vice President Kamala Harris has previously opposed the death penalty, her stance during the ongoing presidential campaign remains unclear, and calls to abolish capital punishment have been notably absent from the Democratic Party’s platform this year.
Billie Allen’s sister, Yvette, has been fighting tirelessly for his release, expressing the overwhelming stress that comes with the high stakes of the upcoming election. “Every day is a sense of urgency,” she said. “We’re working every day making sure the world sees he’s innocent before it’s too late.” Allen, who has spent 26 years on death row, hopes that his evidence of innocence will be acknowledged, but he remains haunted by the memories of friends lost to execution. “If I’m executed, I want people to look back on my art and see this guy was documenting the trauma he went through on death row,” he said. “He deserves to live and is innocent.”
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